• Gerald Arthur: Successful businessman with good family values
• Sybil: Concerned with class system, shows disapproval towards lower classes
• Inspector: Mouthpiece for author's socialist views, challenges social responsibility
• Eric: Representative of younger generation, supports social responsibility
• Edna: Represents class differences and role of lower classes in society

The characters in "An Inspector Calls" convey important themes about community and responsibility, the class system, and the generation gap. The authorial methods include foreshadowing and the use of the Inspector as a symbol of social responsibility. The characters serve as examples of societal attitudes and moral improvement. This provides a comprehensive analysis of the themes within the play.